Midway Through Your GMAT Journey: Strategic Tips for Success 

As you reach the halfway point in your GMAT preparation, it's crucial to start refining your test-taking strategy. The strategies you develop now will be vital for your remaining mock tests and, ultimately, your performance on the actual exam. These tips will help you manage your time effectively, structure your scratch paper, and make smart decisions about elimination and guessing. While these strategies are particularly important for mock tests and test day, many of them can also be applied to your regular GMAT practice sessions. 

Timing: Managing Your Pace 

Effective time management is one of the most critical aspects of GMAT success. Check out article 2.4 for our complete take on timing but here you can find in short how you can ensure that you’re pacing yourself correctly throughout the test: 

1. Multi-Question Checkpoints: 

• Quantitative: Establish checkpoints every four questions to ensure you’ve spent no more than 8 minutes on those questions. This helps you monitor your pace and avoid running out of time at the end of the section. 

• Verbal and Data Insights: Because these sections often have more variation in the time certain questions take, use checkpoints every six questions. For Verbal, aim to spend no more than 11 minutes per six-question block. For Data Insights, set a 13-minute limit for every six questions. These checkpoints help you stay on track and avoid a last-minute rush. 

2. Maximum and Minimum Time Spent Per Question: 

Maximum Time:  
While these limits are somewhat feeling-based, be strict with yourself to ensure you’re not spending too much time on any one question. 

• Individual Verbal Questions: Spend no more than 1.5 minutes on each. 

• Critical Reasoning: Limit yourself to 3 minutes per question. 

• Quantitative: Similarly, aim to spend no more than 3 minutes per question, this includes data sufficiency questions. 

Minimum Time: 
Spend at least 30 seconds on each question before considering skipping it. This ensures you give yourself a chance to understand the question, even if it seems challenging or deceptively easy at first glance. 

Structuring Your Scratch Paper 

Organizing your scratch paper effectively is essential, particularly for the Quant and Verbal sections. A well-structured scratch paper can save you time and reduce the chances of making careless errors. You can draw the note taking structure before each section begins. 

1. Quantitative Section: 

Divide your scratch paper into four quadrants. In the corner of each quadrant, note the 8-minute time limit per four questions. This visual aid helps you quickly compare your progress against the test timer, ensuring you stay on track. 

2. Verbal Section: 

While you’ll likely take fewer notes in the Verbal section, it’s still beneficial to structure your scratch paper. Divide it into sections for each question or passage, allowing for quicker elimination and better organization. 

Elimination and Guessing: Making Smart Decisions 

Effective elimination and strategic guessing are key to maximizing your score, especially in the Verbal section. 

1. Elimination: 

Eliminate answer choices methodically, as eliminating incorrect options increases your chances of selecting the correct answer. This is especially crucial in the Verbal section, where elimination should be central to your approach. By systematically ruling out wrong answers, you improve your odds and can more confidently choose from the remaining options.  

2. Guessing: 

Learn to let go of questions that consistently give you trouble or that you find yourself spending too much time on. These are often the questions where your efforts are least likely to pay off. Strategic guessing can save you valuable time that’s better spent on questions where you have a higher likelihood of success. 

Question Review and Edit 

Combining multi-question checkpoints with strategic skipping and guessing leaves you with valuable time at the end of the exam for review and edit. Here’s how to make the most of this time: 

• Time Buffer: By using conservative time checkpoints, you should have some time left at the end of the exam. Use this time to revisit questions you skipped or were unsure about. 

• Review Strategy: Prioritize questions where you were close to the answer but uncertain, or where you identified multiple possible answers. A quick review with a clear mind can sometimes lead to the right choice. 

Conclusion 

As you continue your GMAT preparation, remember that refining your test-taking strategy is just as important as mastering the content. Effective time management, structured scratch paper, and smart decision-making with elimination and guessing will help you navigate the test more efficiently. By following these strategies during your mock tests, you’ll develop the habits and confidence needed to perform your best on test day. Keep your targets in mind, study with a plan, and always balance your practice with thorough revision. With these strategies in place, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your GMAT goals.